Affidavit: Man ran S.A. prostitution ring from prison cell

Police uncovered three smuggled cell-phones from the suspects prison cell.

Author:
Kens5.com Staff , KENS

Published:
10:52 AM CST November 9, 2017

Updated:
10:53 AM CST November 9, 2017

A Texas prison inmate is now facing new charges after investigators uncovered that he was running a prostitution ring on the city’s west side from his prison cell.

An affidavit obtained by KENS 5 shows 28-year-old Martin Eddie Herrera used Facebook to recruit teenagers into prostitution from June of 2016 to August of 2016.

A 17-year-old victim said she inquired about a Facebook post that mentioned ‘who wants to make some money?’ The teen admitted to police she believed it was about selling drugs.

The poster directed her to a northwest-side home in a subdivision just off Bandera Road near Nani Falcone Community Park.

At the home located on Moonwalk Crest, the victim said she was told to perform ‘sexual conduct’ with individuals in exchange for money.

She admitted to police she began to have sex with multiple clients throughout every week. The affidavit shows that she and coworkers posted ads on Backpage.com soliciting the sexual transactions.

The women often received orders from Herrera who was reportedly using a smuggled cell phone in his prison cell.

Herrera also sent several hand-written letters to his workers stating “the biz must go on, the hustle must go on,” and “keep the others motivated to stack paper”.

Another victim, age 20, told police she met Herrera through a mutual friend while she was living in Dallas. He recruited her to work for him and come live in the home located on Moonwalk Crest. Herrera told her that he would provide her a place to live and transportation if she had sex with different men in exchange for money.

A man named Bernard Blanchard reportedly received orders from Herrera from prison to take girls to different locations around to meet clients for sex. Blanchard was also in charge of booking hotels and serving as security. The affidavit shows he would ‘hide behind the curtains’ for protection.

He was directed to collect 50 percent of each girl’s earnings. He reportedly sent the money to a woman named Genevieve Castilleja Aguirre who was also receiving orders from Herrera.

At one point, police uncovered three cell-phones from Herrera’s prison cell and Aguirre ended up being promoted to head of operation according to one of the victims.

Herrera has been charged with compelling prostitution and aggravated promotion of prostitution.